to engage students in writing and improving their skills as effective writers.
Overview
This project is geared toward a ninth grade English class which meets for 45-minute periods three times a week.
The project would last the entire school year.
Halfway through the year, and at the end of the year the students polish one piece of writing for presentation.
Students will write in one notebook (or submit writing electronically each week). The notebook will serve as a portfolio for tracking writing and writing progress.
The writing themes in the lesson plan were chosen based on a number of criteria, firstly for their age-appropriateness and interesting subject matter, secondly for their easily definable scope while being broad enough to allow students a great deal of creativity in deciding what to write, thirdly, consideration was given to how well each theme fit into the progression through the framework of models and theories.
Publishing methods were determined with thought to digital media and variety.
Assessment needs to be developed but the overall goal is to track student progress toward becoming effective writers rather than focusing too much on the individual steps.
NOTE: The lesson plan is designed for each step to take one week. This could easily be adapted to go through two steps in one lesson if you have longer lessons.
Method
Month-after-month the teacher demonstrates the lesson and coaches students through an empowering writing process. As their confidence goes up, their enjoyment should too. In August the steps are not followed but instead focus is on building a strong community where students feel comfortable experimenting with their writing. STEP 1*
Discuss the audience and purpose of the writing activity.
Show examples of other’s work and read them together as a class. Discuss the characteristics of that piece of writing, point out what works well.
Teacher demonstration – the teacher models the writing.
Example: If the topic is writing instructions, on the spot choose a subject and write in front of the students. Talk out loud so they can hear your thought process as you write.
Write together – Choose a new subject and go through the steps again eliciting help from the class.
Re-read what was written together. Once again identify the characteristics of that piece of writing (same as you did when you were talking about someone else’s example at the beginning)
STEP 2
Now the students start to produce their own writing.
Student brainstorms ideas.
Student shares with a partner her ideas and talks it out (ex. Tells her partner the steps for the instructions she is writing. NOTE: she may have written key words, but she has not yet written the instructions).
Sustained writing time.
Conferences with teacher – this could be walking around the room to check-in with each student.
STEP 3
Students share their work with partners or small groups and get feedback (teacher should coach students in giving feedback and model it during step one when you’re writing together).
Students revise their work based on the feedback they received.
STEP 4
Students edit their work so that it is mistake free.
Publish!
REPEAT
*Starting in September, you’ll notice the step numbers are included. Also included are ideas for mini-lessons along the way to give students additional tools.
*Many of the Mini-Lessons in the plan use these traits as a starting point for improving writing skill.
The Plan
August - Freewriting and Building a Community of Writers
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
August Freewriting
Week 1
>Mini Lesson: Introduction to the Writing Project -explain process and goals -set expectations Creating a community of writers requires engaging students to using their voice to write. Sharing to build a safety net and comfort with writing and discussing each other’s writing. >Create a Community of Writers -show a photograph, teacher and students freewrite the story behind the picture for 5 minutes -class discussion on what they saw -teacher shares and invites students to share writing -play a piece of music, repeat
Week 2
>Mini Lesson to Review Expectations >Create a Community of Writers -distribute and read the first half of a short story (Shared Stories, CBC’s Vinyl Café) -freewrite endings for 5 minutes -share endings, and discuss with the whole class -choose 2-3 endings to act out -read the end of the actual story
Week 3
>Create a Community of Writers -play a radio interview (Cpt. Nicola G.’s parents about her death in Afghanistan) -class discussion and reaction -model 5-line poems (from PPU English didactics) -write 5-line poem together -students write 5-line poems -students share their poems
September - What do you hear?
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
September What do you hear?
Week 4
>Mini Lesson on Steps for Writing 1. discuss audience and purpose, teacher demonstration, write together, re-read 2. brainstorm, talk before writing, sustained writing time, conferences with teacher 3. share, revise 4. edit, publish This is a creative writing exercise to describe detail. The student chooses a place (ex. street corner) and composes a description of what she hears. >What do you hear? (1) -discuss audience and purpose -read and review examples and discuss characteristics -teacher demonstration -write an example together -re-read and discuss what was done
Week 5
>Mini Lesson on IDEAS Trait >What do you hear? (2) -brainstorm using mindmap -describe to a partner where you are and what you hear -sustained writing -conferences with teacher
Week 6
>Mini Lesson on Giving Feedback >What do you hear? (3) -share in pairs to give feedback - revise based on feedback
Week 7
>What do you hear? (4) -edit -publish: The students take pictures of themselves listening and integrate the photos into a typed document with their work. Posted on class website.
October - Children's Stories
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
October Children’s Stories
Week 8
This is a narrative exercise to develop a children’s story. >Children’s Stories (1) -discuss audience and purpose -discuss which stories they enjoyed the most as kids, discuss characteristics -read children’s stories together -teacher demonstration -write an example together -re-read and discuss what was done
Week 9
>Mini-Lesson on ORGANIZATION Trait >Children’s Stories (2) -brainstorm and plan a story line -tell the story to a partner to make sure it makes sense -sustained writing
Week 10
>Children’s Stories (3) -conferences with teacher -share in groups of 3 to get feedback -revise based on feedback
Week 11
>Mini Lesson on Editing Expectations >Children’s Stories (4) -edit -publish: The students create a finished book with illustrations to be bound. Finished books displayed in classroom.
November - Instructables
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
November Insructables
Week 12
This is a writing exercise to write instructions for how to do something. >Instructables (www.instructables.com) (1) - discuss audience and purpose -examine examples on the website and discuss characteristics -teacher demonstration -write together -re-read
Week 13
>Mini-Lesson on VOICE Trait >Instructables (2) -brainstorm -talk before writing: describe the steps to a partner -sustained writing -conferences
Week 14
>Instructables(3) -share in groups of 3 to get feedback -revise
Week 15
>Instructables (4) -edit -publish: The students post their instructables on the website complete with pictures.
December - Polish and Present
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
December Polish and Present
Week 16
This exercise allows students to polish and present their work. >Polish and Present Each student chooses one of the piece of work and polishes it further. Students create a display of their writing for the foyer, and post it on the school website. In plenum we discuss their experiences so far and they fill out a reflection sheet.
January - Writing a Dialogue
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
January Conversation with a stranger
Week 17
This activity is to practice writing dialogue. >Conversation (1) -discuss audience and purpose -read examples of conversations and discuss characteristics -teacher demonstration (conversation at the bus stop) -write together - re-read
Week 18
>Mini-Lesson on WORD CHOICE Trait >Conversation (2) -brainstorm -students talk about ideas with a partner -sustained writing -conferences
Week 19
>Conversation (3) -share with the whole class to get feedback -revise
Week 20
>Mini Lessonon Presentation Skills >Conversation (4) -edit -publish: Practice the conversation with a partner. Props may be used. Students can choose to record the conversation on video or to perform it live for the class.
February - Persuasive Letter
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
February Persuasive Letter
Week 21
At the end of this unit each student will send a letter trying to convince someone to take action or to bring about change. >Persuasive Letter (1) -discuss audience and purpose -read examples and discuss characteristics and important vocabulary -teacher demonstration -write together (letter to the headmaster about something the students want changed at school) -re-read
Week 22
>Mini-Lesson on FLUENCY Trait >Persuasive Letter (2) -students choose who they will write to -brainstorm content of letter and the important arguments -students talk to a partner about what they’re going to write and the main arguments -sustained writing -conferences
Week 23
>Persuasive Letter (3) -share with the whole class to get feedback -revise
Week 24
>Persuasive Letter (4) -edit -publish: Send the letters.
Students will write free verse poems about what’s deep in their hearts. They will be encouraged to experiment with the shape of the poem. >Heart Poems (1) -discuss audience and purpose -read examples and discuss what makes a heart poem -students present poem examples through acting -teacher demonstration of writing a heart poem -write a heart poem together -re-read and discuss what was done
Week 26
>Ultra-Mini-Lesson on PRESENTATION Trait >Heart Poems (2) -brainstorm topics -students make notes to themselves about how the ideas could come together -sustained writing -conferences
Week 27
>Heart Poems (3) -share with two other students -revise
Week 28
>Heart Poems (4) -edit -publish: Each poem is published on the class website.
April - Comparison Essay
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
April Comparison Essay
Week 29
Students will compare and contrast two objects or images to create a 5-paragraph essay. >Comparison (1) -discuss audience and purpose -read examples and discuss the components of a comparison essay (intro, similarities, differences, personal opinion, conclusion) and important vocabulary -teacher demonstration using two photos illustrating how much food a German and a Somali family eat in a week. -write together -re-read
Week 30
>Mini-Lesson on CONVENTIONS Trait >Comparison (2) -brainstorm topics and talk about them with a partner, figure out the 5 paragraphs. -sustained writing -conferences
Week 31
>Comparison (3) -share with a partner students -revise
Week 32
>Comparison (4) -edit -publish: Each essay is published on a poster with an image of the two things being compared. Posters are posted around the classroom.
May - Advice for Future 9th Graders
May Advice for Future 9th Graders
Week 33
Now that the school year is almost over, the class will publish a book of advice for future 9th graders based on their own experiences. >Advice for 9th Graders (1) -discuss audience and purpose -brainstorm ideas for important advice -teacher demonstration using one of the topics -write together (this can be the introduction for the book) -re-read
Week 34
>Advice for 9th Graders (2) -in pairs, choose one of the topics and brainstorm ideas -sustained writing in pairs -conferences
Week 35
>Advice for 9th Graders (3) -share with another group and revise -publish: Each pair makes a page for the book, all are collected and bound. Visit a gr.8 class and share their advice.
June - Polish and Present
TIMELINE AND THEME
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
June Polish and Present
Week 36
This exercise allows students to polish and present their work. >Polish and Present Each student chooses one piece of work from the year that they are especially proud of. Each student decides how to best present their work in the form of a presentation. The teacher invites families to an evening celebration where each student presents their work. Each piece is compiled into a class anthology which each student receives at the end of the year.
Table of Contents
by Lindsay Core
Goals
Overview
- This project is geared toward a ninth grade English class which meets for 45-minute periods three times a week.
- The project would last the entire school year.
- Halfway through the year, and at the end of the year the students polish one piece of writing for presentation.
- Students will write in one notebook (or submit writing electronically each week). The notebook will serve as a portfolio for tracking writing and writing progress.
- The writing themes in the lesson plan were chosen based on a number of criteria, firstly for their age-appropriateness and interesting subject matter, secondly for their easily definable scope while being broad enough to allow students a great deal of creativity in deciding what to write, thirdly, consideration was given to how well each theme fit into the progression through the framework of models and theories.
- Publishing methods were determined with thought to digital media and variety.
- Assessment needs to be developed but the overall goal is to track student progress toward becoming effective writers rather than focusing too much on the individual steps.
NOTE: The lesson plan is designed for each step to take one week. This could easily be adapted to go through two steps in one lesson if you have longer lessons.Method
Month-after-month the teacher demonstrates the lesson and coaches students through an empowering writing process. As their confidence goes up, their enjoyment should too. In August the steps are not followed but instead focus is on building a strong community where students feel comfortable experimenting with their writing.
STEP 1*
- Discuss the audience and purpose of the writing activity.
- Show examples of other’s work and read them together as a class. Discuss the characteristics of that piece of writing, point out what works well.
- Teacher demonstration – the teacher models the writing.
- Example: If the topic is writing instructions, on the spot choose a subject and write in front of the students. Talk out loud so they can hear your thought process as you write.
- Write together – Choose a new subject and go through the steps again eliciting help from the class.
- Re-read what was written together. Once again identify the characteristics of that piece of writing (same as you did when you were talking about someone else’s example at the beginning)
STEP 2- Now the students start to produce their own writing.
- Student brainstorms ideas.
- Student shares with a partner her ideas and talks it out (ex. Tells her partner the steps for the instructions she is writing. NOTE: she may have written key words, but she has not yet written the instructions).
- Sustained writing time.
- Conferences with teacher – this could be walking around the room to check-in with each student.
STEP 3- Students share their work with partners or small groups and get feedback (teacher should coach students in giving feedback and model it during step one when you’re writing together).
- Students revise their work based on the feedback they received.
STEP 4- Students edit their work so that it is mistake free.
- Publish!
REPEAT*Starting in September, you’ll notice the step numbers are included. Also included are ideas for mini-lessons along the way to give students additional tools.
Theory
The theoretical basis for the instructional design includes the Writing Acts and Competencies Model , the Optimal Learning Model, Writing Essentials for All Grade Levels, and 6 + 1 Trait Writing*.
*Many of the Mini-Lessons in the plan use these traits as a starting point for improving writing skill.
The Plan
August - Freewriting and Building a Community of Writers
AND THEME
Freewriting
-explain process and goals
-set expectations
Creating a community of writers requires engaging students to using their voice to write. Sharing to build a safety net and comfort with writing and discussing each other’s writing.
>Create a Community of Writers
-show a photograph, teacher and students freewrite the story behind the picture for 5 minutes
-class discussion on what they saw
-teacher shares and invites students to share writing
-play a piece of music, repeat
>Create a Community of Writers
-distribute and read the first half of a short story (Shared Stories, CBC’s Vinyl Café)
-freewrite endings for 5 minutes
-share endings, and discuss with the whole class
-choose 2-3 endings to act out
-read the end of the actual story
-play a radio interview (Cpt. Nicola G.’s parents about her death in Afghanistan)
-class discussion and reaction
-model 5-line poems (from PPU English didactics)
-write 5-line poem together
-students write 5-line poems
-students share their poems
September - What do you hear?
AND THEME
What do you hear?
1. discuss audience and purpose, teacher demonstration, write together, re-read
2. brainstorm, talk before writing, sustained writing time, conferences with teacher
3. share, revise
4. edit, publish
This is a creative writing exercise to describe detail. The student chooses a place (ex. street corner) and composes a description of what she hears.
>What do you hear? (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-read and review examples and discuss characteristics
-teacher demonstration
-write an example together
-re-read and discuss what was done
>What do you hear? (2)
-brainstorm using mindmap
-describe to a partner where you are and what you hear
-sustained writing
-conferences with teacher
>What do you hear? (3)
-share in pairs to give feedback
- revise based on feedback
-edit
-publish: The students take pictures of themselves listening and integrate the photos into a typed document with their work. Posted on class website.
October - Children's Stories
AND THEME
Children’s Stories
>Children’s Stories (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-discuss which stories they enjoyed the most as kids, discuss characteristics
-read children’s stories together
-teacher demonstration
-write an example together
-re-read and discuss what was done
>Children’s Stories (2)
-brainstorm and plan a story line
-tell the story to a partner to make sure it makes sense
-sustained writing
-conferences with teacher
-share in groups of 3 to get feedback
-revise based on feedback
>Children’s Stories (4)
-edit
-publish: The students create a finished book with illustrations to be bound. Finished books displayed in classroom.
November - Instructables
AND THEME
November
Insructables
>Instructables (www.instructables.com) (1)
- discuss audience and purpose
-examine examples on the website and discuss characteristics
-teacher demonstration
-write together
-re-read
>Instructables (2)
-brainstorm
-talk before writing: describe the steps to a partner
-sustained writing
-conferences
-share in groups of 3 to get feedback
-revise
-edit
-publish: The students post their instructables on the website complete with pictures.
December - Polish and Present
AND THEME
Polish and Present
>Polish and Present
Each student chooses one of the piece of work and polishes it further. Students create a display of their writing for the foyer, and post it on the school website.
In plenum we discuss their experiences so far and they fill out a reflection sheet.
January - Writing a Dialogue
AND THEME
Conversation with a stranger
>Conversation (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-read examples of conversations and discuss characteristics
-teacher demonstration (conversation at the bus stop)
-write together
- re-read
>Conversation (2)
-brainstorm
-students talk about ideas with a partner
-sustained writing
-conferences
-share with the whole class to get feedback
-revise
>Conversation (4)
-edit
-publish: Practice the conversation with a partner. Props may be used. Students can choose to record the conversation on video or to perform it live for the class.
February - Persuasive Letter
AND THEME
Persuasive Letter
>Persuasive Letter (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-read examples and discuss characteristics and important vocabulary
-teacher demonstration
-write together (letter to the headmaster about something the students want changed at school)
-re-read
>Persuasive Letter (2)
-students choose who they will write to
-brainstorm content of letter and the important arguments
-students talk to a partner about what they’re going to write and the main arguments
-sustained writing
-conferences
-share with the whole class to get feedback
-revise
-edit
-publish: Send the letters.
March - Heart Poems
AND THEME
Heart poems
>Heart Poems (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-read examples and discuss what makes a heart poem
-students present poem examples through acting
-teacher demonstration of writing a heart poem
-write a heart poem together
-re-read and discuss what was done
>Heart Poems (2)
-brainstorm topics
-students make notes to themselves about how the ideas could come together
-sustained writing
-conferences
-share with two other students
-revise
-edit
-publish: Each poem is published on the class website.
April - Comparison Essay
AND THEME
April
Comparison Essay
>Comparison (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-read examples and discuss the components of a comparison essay (intro, similarities, differences, personal opinion, conclusion) and important vocabulary
-teacher demonstration using two photos illustrating how much food a German and a Somali family eat in a week.
-write together
-re-read
>Comparison (2)
-brainstorm topics and talk about them with a partner, figure out the 5 paragraphs.
-sustained writing
-conferences
-share with a partner students
-revise
-edit
-publish: Each essay is published on a poster with an image of the two things being compared. Posters are posted around the classroom.
May - Advice for Future 9th Graders
Advice for Future 9th Graders
>Advice for 9th Graders (1)
-discuss audience and purpose
-brainstorm ideas for important advice
-teacher demonstration using one of the topics
-write together (this can be the introduction for the book)
-re-read
-in pairs, choose one of the topics and brainstorm ideas
-sustained writing in pairs
-conferences
-share with another group and revise
-publish: Each pair makes a page for the book, all are collected and bound. Visit a gr.8 class and share their advice.
June - Polish and Present
AND THEME
Polish and Present
>Polish and Present
Each student chooses one piece of work from the year that they are especially proud of. Each student decides how to best present their work in the form of a presentation.
The teacher invites families to an evening celebration where each student presents their work. Each piece is compiled into a class anthology which each student receives at the end of the year.